Kansas 'Cold Weather Rule' starts Nov. 1 to help residents behind on utility payments

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Kansas "Cold Weather Rule," which is meant to help Kansas residents who are behind on utility payments during the winter, will go into effect on Saturday, Nov. 1.

During the Cold Weather Rule, utility companies cannot disconnect a customer's service when the local temperatures are forecast to drop below 35 degrees within the following 48-hour period. 

The rule also requires utility companies to offer a 12-month payment plan for customers to maintain or restore service.

Any residential customer with a past due balance will qualify for payment arrangements, but it is the customer's responsibility to contact the utility company to make those payment plans.

Customers must pay 1/12 – a little more than 8% – of the total amount owed as part of the payment plan terms, along with 1/12 of the current bill, the full amount of any disconnection or reconnection fee and any applicable deposit.

The remaining balance must be paid in equal payments over the next 11 months, in addition to the current monthly bill. The Cold Weather Rule only applies to utility companies under the The Kansas Corporation Commission's jurisdiction.

The KCC implemented the rule in 1983 to prevent utility companies from disconnecting a customer's gas, electric or water service during months of extreme cold.